Unexpected.

The holidays were kind of derailed for my family this year. On Christmas Eve, my maternal grandmother passed away. We got word that morning that she was in the hospital and took a turn for the worse, so my parents and I hopped the first flight we could get to California. Obaasan had passed before we made it there.

It's been a surreal couple of days. My aunts and uncles are all here and the rest of the family has been trickling in as soon as they can. Bob had to get all the Santa stuff together for Roo and Jasper by himself and apparently did a great job. I've been trying to help out as much as I can here.

One of the good things has been going through old photo albums and seeing family pictures I'd never seen before. Also plenty of proof of my awkward years. Yikes.

Anyway, I just wanted to explain the blog silence for the time being.

Snowland at Great Wolf Lodge + PEEPS Giveaway

Remember when I told you about Snowland, the holiday celebration at Great Wolf Lodge? Well, Great Wolf Lodge has recently partnered with Just Born, Inc., the makers of PEEPS marshmallow candies, Mike & Ikes and Hot Tamales.

This dynamic partnership means these favorite treats are featured in the life-size Gingerbread House, baked right in the lobby of Great Wolf Lodges during the Snowland festivities!

My family and I are scheduled to have dinner in the whimsical Gingerbread House this week. You We're thrilled to get a chance to see Snowland and experience the Lodge for the holidays. Reservations to dine in the Gingerbread House may still be available– check with your local Lodge for more details.

As a Great Wolf Ask A Mom Panelist, I'm excited to offer you a taste of Snowland! Share a comment below with your favorite holiday memory to be entered to win a Great Wolf Lodge: Snowland package featuring the following items:

·         Seasonal PEEPS® product, including:

o    PEEPS® Gingerbread Flavored Marshmallow Gingerbread Men (my favorite!)

o    PEEPS® Marshmallow Snowmen

o    PEEPS® Candy Cane Flavored Marshmallow, Dipped in Chocolate

o    PEEPS® Rainbow Pop

o    PEEPS® Milk Chocolate Covered Mint Marshmallow

o    PEEPS® Dark Chocolate Covered Mint Marshmallow

·         Wolf Pup Plush

·         $50 Great Wolf Lodge Gift Card

Comment before 12/27 for your chance to win!

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I am a member of the Great Wolf Lodge Ask-a-Mom panel. No compensation was provided. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own.

Sweet Creations Mini Loaf Pan

My mother in law asked me if I'd started my holiday baking yet. Oh, boy. Not really. I'm kind of a procrastinator about such things and can usually be found wrapping things at the very last minute. Every year, I swear I will do more and do it all better but it's always hectic! I guess I must subconsciously really like the stress. 

This year, I received a special care package from Good Cook featuring their Sweet Creations Mini Loaf Pan and holiday snowflake parchment sheets. There are so many cool things you could do with this, I wasn't sure where to start. Bread (duh!), meatloaf, pate, soap… all would be quick and easy to execute with this handy pan, which will give you four dainty 1 lb loaves that you can wrap up in the festive 12" parchment sheets.

Like I mentioned before, I haven't even started thinking about what I'll be baking this holiday, so I decided to go with something easy and on hand in my kitchen. I had some sketchy looking bananas and decided to bake some banana bread, throwing a liberal handful of dark chocolate and cinnamon chips into the batter just before baking.

It was super quick and easy to make and turned out totally adorable. Not to mention delicious! The smaller size makes these loaves an ideal size for teachers gifts. The pan is heavy duty and nonstick and looks brand new even after washing. I am sure I will put it to good use this season!

Get 25% off your purchase of the Good Cook Sweet Creations Mini Loaf pan by using code SWEETLOAF at checkout on goodcook.com. 

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that we received product samples to facilitate this review. No compensation was provided. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own. 

Winter Boredom Buster: How To Build A Hovercraft

Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz are the mad scientists behind EepyBird. You might have seen one of their viral videos, exploring the amazing things you can accomplish with household objects and a little ingenuity. Yes, they're the guys who brought the Mentos and Diet Coke experiment to households across the globe.

The Eepybird guys have come across a zillion cool science projects along their path to internet megastardom. Luckily for us, they have compiled an epic tome, How to Build a Hovercraft, which shares 25 of the very best experiments that you can try at home.


My kids get bored super quickly during the holidays, so it's nice to have something up my sleeve to keep them occupied. Especially something that will further their interest in science!



In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that we received a copy of this book to facilitate this review. No compensation was provided. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own. 

Blu-ray #MovieMagic (Giveaway)

Do you Blu-ray? I'll admit, I was hesitant initially. I still have a whole dresser full of VHS tapes that I can't play anymore… and my dad was an early adopter of Betamax. It makes me look at new technology with a healthy dose of skepticism. But I love the new combo packs that include Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Copies in one purchase. It's so convenient.


Aside from mere convenience, Blu-ray lets you watch your favorite movies with unmatched sound and video that is SIX TIMES the quality of DVDs! Plus, Blu-ray allows you to rediscover the #MovieMagic behind your favorite films with exclusive special features that put you in the filmmaker’s chair, with a behind-the-scenes access to all of the magic: special effects, talent interviews, alternative endings, unreleased scenes, bloopers and more.

With a Blu-ray combo pack, you can enjoy your favorite films in high-definition whenever and wherever you want. You can keep the Blu-ray disc in the living room, DVD in the car, and the digital copy on your phone for when you’re on the move.

Check out the #MovieMagic Blog App below to learn more about Blu-ray:

• Behind-the-Scenes #MovieMagic GIF Grid - Mouse over each of the GIF squares and click to view a behind-the-scenes clip exclusively from the film's Blu-ray special features.
• The Next Generation of Blu-ray - Don't get left behind with old tech! Check out what's next for Blu-ray in 2014 and beyond!

Leave a comment below about what you like most about Blu-ray or what you learned from the #MovieMagic app for a chance to win a copy of one of the following titles (chosen at random from the list below) to award one lucky reader!
• The Little Mermaid - Diamond Edition
• The Lone Ranger
• Monsters University
• Angels Sing
• Rise of The Guardians
• Despicable Me 2
• Turbo
• Grown Ups 2
• Wizard of Oz 3D
• The Wolverine
• Star Trek: Into Darkness
• White House Down
• Fast 6
• Pacific Rim
• After Earth
• Man of Steel
• Red 2
• World War Z
• 2 Guns
• Weeds: The Complete Collection
• Predator 3D

Each household is only eligible to win ONE #MovieMagic Title via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. US only. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that the prize is being supplied by PartnersHub. No compensation was provided. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own. 

Tis The Season for Sore Throats

It's always a good idea to be prepared. It seems like whenever you prepare for the worst, it never happens. I was pleased to receive an array of Chloraseptic products well head of the onset of murky winter weather. We are amply prepared for any kind of coughing and sore throat emergency!

I grew up with Chloraseptic spray and as much as I disliked the unfamiliar numbing feeling in my throat as a kid, I had to admit it was the only thing that seemed to relieve my symptoms and let me get some rest. I'm happy to have it in my mommy arsenal.

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that we received product samples to facilitate this review. No compensation was provided. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own. 

RIP Nelson Mandela

New Prank Packs for Disguising Your Cyber Monday Goodies

Remember when I told you about Prank Packs, the most excellent wrapping option, ever?

Well, today they've released three brand new designs and they are pretty darned hilarious:

Imagine the delight of your giftee when they discover a NapSack, Sizzl or the Turn & Churn under the tree… ah, priceless.

You can order Prank Packs online or look for them at a "fine" retailer like you, like Walmart.

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that we received product samples to facilitate this review. No compensation was provided. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own.